Incubator.



QUi t1 x cooco J JR Wm H. J. ANDERSEN.

INGUBATOR. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1912.

Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

311-00 l'oz HJYA 72 dame.

HANS J. ANDERSEN, 0F HOMER, NEBRASKA.

INCUBATQR.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Aug. 12,1913.

Application filed June 10, 1,912. Serial No. 102,826.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HANS .J.

of Nebraska, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Incubators; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,

and exact description .of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art :tO-

In the accompanying drawings; Figure :1

is a perspective view of my improved incubator; Fig. 2 1s a vertical-sectional view on the line 2-2 of :Fig. 4:; Fig. 3 is a similar view taken at .right angles to Fig. 2 and on the line 33 of Fig. 4; Fig. 4 is ahoricontal sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, l'denotes the body portion of my im proved incubator, said body comprising an outer casing 2, an interm'ediatecasing3 and an inner casinget formed of wood. and, spaced a suitable distance-apart. iBetweenztheouter and intermediate casings are arranged layers 5 of corrugated straw board or paper and between said layers of corrugated paper is arranged a packing 60f hair felt. Between the inner and intermediate casings .are arranged layers 7 of corrugated straw board between which is formed an air space 8. 'Within the inner casing 4 is arranged a lining9 formed-of sheet metal.

In one side of the body .1 is formed an opening which is normally closed by a door 10 having therein a glass panel 11 through which the interior of the incubator may-be observed. 'Thes ace inclosedby-the. alvanized sheet .meta lining 9 forms t e egg chamber 12 and in the lowerportion of said chamber are arranged theegg trays 13, said trays being preferably constructed of galvanized sheet-metal and are supportednlpon g a sheet metal support 14 constructed as Annnnsnmj a citizen of the United States, residing at Homer, .in the county .of Dakota and Stateshown.

In one side of the incubator and communiis an air .inlet pipe 15 whereby air is admitted to-the space 8.

Arranged in the inner side of the incubator and connecting the space .8 with the upper portion of the egg chamber is an air inlet passage .16 through which the air from the space 8 enters the upper portionof the egg-chamber. I The air thus entering the egg chamber circulates therein and passes therefrom through a discharge ,pipe 17 arranged in the lower portion of the incubator and extending up through the ,air space 8 and tank-is arranged a suitable packing whereby the heat ,is prevented from radiating from the tank 18. Arranged through the center of the heating tank or boiler :18 is a heat conducting .tube 20 the'upper and lower ends of which extend through the upper and lower ends of the'casing 19 as shown and .With the lower .end of the :tube 20 is engagedsthe .upper end of=the heat conducting flue .or .chimney 21 of the lamp or other heating device (not shown). Connected with the upper endof the tank 18 is a .filling tube 22 while with the lower end of the tank iscOnnected a faucet 23 whereby the water may be drawn from the :tank when desired. To the upper port-ion of the tank or boiler -18is connected :1 hot water discharge pipe 24 the inner end of which is connected with a taperlng heat ng coil 25 arranged in the .upper portion of the egg chamber and which comprises a narrow loepshaped inner orcentrally disposed -por-. tion 25 'the endsof which are turned outwardly and extend around-the sidesof the to the discharge portion thereof as indieating at its inner end with the air space 8- out through the top of the incubator as upper portion of the egg com artment as (sated. The discharge or inlet pipe '24; is

connected to the looped inner portion of in the egg chamber a. downward to escape from the tube.

the coil while to the center of the outer portion is connected a return pipe 26 to the lower portion of the tank or boiler 18. By thus arranging the discharging and return pipes 24 a circulation of hot Water is maintained through the coil 25 to heat the egg chamber, the pipes 24 and 26 are detachably secured to the boiler 18 by unions or other suitable cou lings as shown.

Supporte above the heat conducting tube 20 and adapted to be moved t-oward or from the upper end thereof is aheat regulating damper 27, said damper being suspended from the outer end of a supporting and operating lever 28 arranged above the incubator and pivotally connected near its inner end to a supporting bracket 29, said lever having on its inner end an adjustable counter balancing weight 30 whereby the lever is balanced to support the damper 27 a at its proper normal position above the upper end of the heat conducting tube 20.

Arranged inthe upper portion of the incubator is a lever actuating yoke or frame 31 comprising parallel vertically disposed rods 32 which are slidably engaged with passages formed through the top of the incubator and are connected together at their upper ends by a cross head 33 and at their lower ends by a cross bar or plate 34. Arranged through the center of the cross head 33 is a lever engaging bolt 35 the lower end of which is engaged with the inner end of the damper supporting lever 28 and on which above and below the cross head 33 are arranged adjusting nuts 36 whereby the frame or yoke 31 is adjusted with respect to the lever 28.

Secured to the lower end ofa hanger 37 is a thermostat 38 which is preferably formed of a plurality of expansible disks and which is engaged with the cross bar or plate 34 of the yoke or frame 31 whereby when said thermostat expands from the heat ressure will be exerted upon the yoke, thus rawing the latter downwardly into the incubator andcausing the upper end thereof to deress the inner end of the lever 28 and to ift the outer end thereof, thus raising the damper 27 to a greater or less distance above the upper end of the heat conducting tube thereby permitting more or less heat By thus permitting the heat to escape from the heat conducting tube 20 the water in the tank or boiler 18 and in the heating pipes and coil is allowed to cool to a greater or less extent, thus reducing the temperature in the egg chamber. I

In order to prevent any possibility of the chamber from becoming overheated, I provide a supplemental temperature regulating mechanism whereby should the temperature of the egg chamber increase beyond a predetermined point outside air will be automatically admitted to the lower portion of the egg chamber, thus reducing the temperature therein. The supplemental temperature regulating mechanism referred to comprises a pair of horizontally disposed levers 39 and 40 which are pivotally connected at their inner ends to an operating frame 41 arranged beneath and adapted to be brought up into engagement with the plate or bar 34 forming the lower, end of the yoke 31. The levers 39 and 40 are fulcrumed near their inner ends or connection with the frame 41 to the lower ends of supporting rods 42 the upper ends of which project through the top of the incubator and are threaded to receive adjusting nuts 43 by means of which the rods are adjusted to bring the frame 41 into engagement with the cross bar or plate 34 of the yoke. The outer end of the lever 40 is operatively connected with a slide valve 44 which is adapted to open and close an air inlet port 45 formed in the adjacent side of the incubator and communicating with the air space 8 therein as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. The outer end of the lever 40 is tapered to form a pointer "or indicating finger 46 which is adapted to point to a scale indicating degrees of temperature and arranged on a suitably supported plate 47 secured to the inner portlon of the door 10 whereby the same may be readily observed through the glass panel 11 of the latter.

In preparing the incubator for use the egg chamber is permitted to become heated to 103 degrees which is the temperature at which the heat in the chamber is to be maintained. This temperature may be ascertained by a thermometer temporarily placed in the egg chamber. In obtaining the'desired temperature in the egg chamber the thermostat 38 will be expanded to a certain extent, thus lowering the yoke 31 as hereinbefore described. After the required temperature has been obtained and the thermostat thus expanded the nuts 43 on the supporting rods 42 are ad'usted in the proper direction for bringing t e frame 41 up into engagement with the lower side of the cross bar or plate 34 of the yoke. When the frame 41 has, thus been adjusted the pointer on the outer end of the lever 40 will be brought opposite to the 103 degree mark of the temperature scale ofthe plate 46 and the valve .44 connected to the outer end of the lever 39 will be in such position that the upward movement of the same b the lever 39 will open the air port 45, an permit the outside air to enter the lower portion of the egg chamber. With the parts thus arranged it will be readily seen that should the temperature of the egg chamber increase beyond 103 degrees that 130 per 27 to a greater or less distance above the upper end of the heating tube 20 thereby permitting the heat to escape and the water in the boiler and heating coil to cool, which action together with the admission of the additional supply of outside air to the lower portion of the egg chamber will cool the latter or reduce the temperature therein to a normal state whereuponthe thermostat will contract and permit the outer ends of the levers 39 and 40 to lower,

and close the valve 44 and cause the pointer 45 toindicate the reduction of the temperature on the scale of degrees as will be readily understood. By thus constructing and arranging the heat controlling mechanism the temperature of the egg chamber will be automatically controlled thus obviating the necessity of watching the incubator to prevent the overheating of the egg chamber.

By providing the incubator with a metal lining which incloses' the egg chamber the moisture expelled from the eggs or otherwise accumul'ating in the egg chamber is prevented from evaporating or from being absorbed, which action occurs in incubators having wood linings or wood inclosed egg chambers. The moisture thus retained by improved form of incubator keeps the heated air of the egg chamber in a moist condition necessary for the successful hatching of the eggs in the incubator.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompan ing drawings, the construction and operation ofthe invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: v 7

1. In an incubator, an egg chamber, a heating apparatus therefor, a lever provided with a damper for controlling said apparatus, a yoke slidably mounted in the top of said chamber, a bolt extending through the outer cross head of said yoke and engaging said damper lever, means for adjusting said yoke relatively to said level, a hanger depending in said egg chamber, a thermostat secured to said hanger and engaged with the inner cross head of said yoke, a frame arranged in said egg chamber beneath" said yoke and adapted to engage the inner cross head thereof, a horizontal.

lever fulcrumed on said frame, a supporting rod connected with said lever and extending through the top of the chamber and provided with adjusting means, a valve connected with said lever for opening and closing said air inlet simultaneously with the opening and closing of the damper.

2. In an incubator, an egg chamber, a heating apparatus therefor, a lever provided with a damper for controlling said apparatus, a yoke slidably mounted in the top of said chamber, a bolt extending through. the outer cross head of said yoke and engaging said damper lever, means for adjusting said yoke relatively to said lever, a hanger depending in said egg chamber, a thermostat secured to said hanger and engaged withthe inner cross head of said yoke, a frame arranged in said egg chamber beneath said yoke and adapted to engage the inner cross head thereof, a horizontal lever fulcrumed on said frame, a supporting rod connected with said lever and extending through the top of the chamber and provided with adjusting means, a valve con"- nected with said lever for opening and closing said air inlet simultaneouslywith the opening and closing of the damper, and means connected with said valve actuating lever for indicating the temperature of the chamber. v

c In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HANS J. ANDERSEN.

Witnesses G. M. Bns'r, J. M. KING. 

